by L. L. Muir
Rory gently lifted the jar, as if it was spun glass and Lilly removed the coverings with the same care, the rigid leather all but crumbling in her hands.
“What do you think is inside?” she asked.
“I…” Rory’s brow furrowed. “Bannocks?” he laughed.
She laughed with him, then leaned across and tenderly kissed him. “I don’t know what else might be in there, but I know Iseabail’s love is.” She took a deep breath and gently lifted the lid. “I don’t see anything,” she said, her voice full of disappointment. “It looks empty, but the interior is so dark, I can’t be sure. Shall we turn it upside down?”
“Let me see.” Rory stuck his hand inside, moving around the slopes and curves. Nothing. But at the very bottom, his fingers grazed a small lump. He closed his fingers over the object and fished it out.
Lilly leaned closer as he opened his hand. “What is it?”
Centuries old wool, also covered in wax, fell apart as soon as he tried to unwrap the edges. They looked excitedly at their treasure, then each other, as Rory peeled the covering away.
In his palm, black with tarnish, lay Iseabail’s Luckenbooth Brooch. Two hearts intertwined, with a wide crown above, just as he’d remembered.
“Oh, my.” Lilly pressed her fingers to her mouth as her eyes welled with tears. Swiping them away with the backs of her hands, she reached for the brooch, but Rory held it away.
“No Lilly. Ye canna have it.”
“What? Why?” Hurt and confusion clouded her face.
He scrubbed at the brooch with his plaid. ’Twould take a great deal of polishing, but that would have to do, for now. He kissed her, knelt on one knee and took her hand.
“Lilly McCallum Carver, I love ye with all of my soul. It took centuries to find ye, and I will spend eternity proving my love for ye. Will ye do me the honor of becoming my wife?”
“Yes. I will.” She whispered, her eyes full of love. “And gladly spend eternity loving you back.”
Rory pinned the brooch to Lilly’s shirt to seal their engagement, their pasts, and most of all, their future.
©Jo Jones 2017
THE END
About the Author
Jo Jones lives in the red-rock area of southern Utah. Her roots go deep into the red soil of cattle country, tended by four generations of ranchers.
She also keeps a tight hold on the ancestral string of her Scottish heritage and keeps a piece of her heart in the Highlands.
You can sign up for her newsletter to learn of new releases, or reach her personally through her website— www.jojonesauthor.weebly.com or on Facebook at Jo Jones - author
If you’ve missed Duncan’s story go here
Duncan
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The lads have a website. www.ghostsofcullodenmoor.weebly.com
And they have a Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/GhostsofCullodenMoor